Teleprompter for speakers, with your phone as the remote
Put your talk on the stage screen, keep it in your hand on your phone, and let either one move the script. No download, no account, and it runs on the venue's own laptop.
Open the app · FreeSee pricing
- Phone remote
- Presenter view
- Clickers & pedals
Phone remote
The talk on stage, and in your hand.
Pair your phone with the stage laptop by QR code and either one moves the script. Use the phone as a remote, read from it as a presenter view, or hand it to an operator at the AV desk.
See the presenter viewReady for the stage in three steps
Open it on the stage laptop
Go to scrollcue.com/app on the laptop wired to the confidence monitorConfidence monitor. A screen facing the speaker, usually at the front of a stage or platform, that shows the script, notes or slides where the audience cannot see them., paste your talk and start each part with
##.Pair your phone
Open Phone remote and scan the QR code. No app to install; the phone opens the remote in its browser.
Choose who drives
Hold the phone as a remote, read from it as a presenter view, or hand it to an operator. Whatever moves the script, the other screen follows.
Our take, worked out
One rule, one number worked out for this setup, and what we would not spend money or time on.
The rule
Bring your own network
Venue Wi-Fi is the weakest link on the day. Join the stage laptop to your phone's hotspot, or use a Bluetooth clicker that needs no network at all.
Worked out
2.5 cm
The minimum capital height for text read from 3 m away, using the 1:10 legibility rule for signs. Double the distance and the letters need to double too.
What we would skip
- A fixed scroll speedScroll speed. How fast the script moves. ScrollCue measures it in pixels per second (10 to 240 px/s). Conversational delivery is usually around 130 to 160 words per minute; sermons are often slower. for a talk with audience questions. Use a remote or an operator.
- Pairing on venue Wi-Fi without a test. Guest networks often block devices from seeing each other.
- Small text to fit more of the talk on screen. Fewer, larger lines read faster from the stage.
Watch the phone remote
Ten seconds: pair a phone and drive the stage screen from your hand.
Transcript
Pair your phone as a remote, or as a presenter view that stays in sync with the stage screen.
Who drives the script
Pick the control that suits the talk. You can switch between them during rehearsal and keep the one that feels natural.
| Control | Best for | What you hold | Plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phone remote | Solo speakers who walk the stage | Your phone: play, pause, speed, jump to a section | Pro |
| Phone presenter view | Speakers who want the script in hand as a backup | Your phone, showing the same script in sync | Pro |
| Clicker or foot pedal | Talks with slides; hands-free lecterns | A Bluetooth presentation clicker or pedal | Pro |
| Operator with a phone | Keynotes, panels, events with an AV desk | Nothing: someone at the desk follows you | Pro |
| Voice followVoice follow. A prompter mode that listens to you and scrolls to match your speech, holding its place when you pause or paraphrase. In ScrollCue it runs on your device and is part of Pro. | Read-through talks with few ad-libs | Nothing: the script moves while you speak | Free 5 min per script, unlimited on Pro |
| Fixed speed | Short, well-rehearsed pieces | Nothing: set a speed and press play | Free |
Most speakers on a stage settle on a phone remote or a clicker. Voice follow suits read-through talks; when you ad-lib, it waits and finds your place when you come back to the script.
5 topics
Phone remote and presenter view
Pairing turns your phone into a second, synced copy of the prompter. Both devices can move the script, so a tap on either one keeps you on the same line.
01Can my phone control a teleprompter?02Can I read my script on my phone during a talk?03Video behind the script04Swap roles: the phone as the camera05Mark a retake while recordingRead the full guideShow less
Can my phone control a teleprompter? #
Yes. Pair it by QR code and it becomes a remote with play, pause, speed and section jumps.
The Controls tab gives you large play and pause, speed up and down, and a list of your ## sections to jump to. The buttons always show what the prompter is doing, so you know whether it is moving without looking back at the stage screen.
Can I read my script on my phone during a talk? #
Yes. The presenter view on the phone stays in sync with the stage screen, and either one can move the script.
The Script tab shows the same script, in sync with the stage screen. Scroll it with your finger and the prompter follows; move the prompter and the phone follows. Line breaks differ between a phone and a TV, so ScrollCue syncs by position in the script, not by screen line, and both land on the same words.
It is also a safety net: if the confidence monitor goes dark, the talk is still in your hand at the right place.
Video behind the script #
See the camera or the slides on your phone.
From the phone's video sheet you can watch the prompter's camera or the computer's screen behind the script, so a speaker can check the shot or see the current slide without turning round. The computer asks which window or screen to share before anything is sent.
Swap roles: the phone as the camera #
Point the phone at yourself; read on the big screen.
Roles swap the other way too. Send the phone's camera to the prompter and the laptop shows you behind the text, which is handy for a rehearsal recording or a quick check of framing from the stage. Video goes straight between your devices over your network.
Mark a retake while recording #
Fumbled a line in rehearsal? Tap once.
When the prompter is recording a rehearsal, the phone has a Mark a retake button. A clean copy of the take can later cut everything from the mark back to the start of that line, all on the device.
How big should the text be on a stage screen?
Sign makers use a simple rule for legibility: about 1 inch of letter height for every 10 feet of reading distance, roughly 2.5 cm for every 3 m. Treat it as a minimum for a speaker glancing at a confidence monitor, then go larger if you can.
| Distance to the screen | Minimum capital height | Lines on a 55-inch TV, about |
|---|---|---|
| 2 m (lectern tablet or floor monitor) | 1.7 cm | 20 |
| 3 m (front-of-stage monitor) | 2.5 cm | 13 |
| 5 m | 4.2 cm | 8 |
| 8 m (back of a small room) | 6.7 cm | 5 |
| 12 m (back wall of a hall) | 10 cm | 3 |
Capital height is 0.83 cm per metre of distance, from the 1:10 legibility index for signs facing the reader. Lines assume a 68 cm tall picture and a line pitch of twice the capital height. Fewer lines on screen means shorter chunks, so put one idea per line and set the cue lineCue line. A fixed marker near the top of the prompter that shows which line to read. Keeping it close to the lens keeps your eyes close to the camera. near the top. See the confidence monitor guide for screen placement.
5 topics
Venue Wi-Fi, clickers and backups
Conference networks are busy and often block devices from seeing each other. Plan the link before you walk on.
01Why won't my phone remote connect at a venue?02When the QR code will not scan03Do presentation clickers work with a teleprompter?04Screen stays awake05Offline backupRead the full guideShow less
Why won't my phone remote connect at a venue? #
Venue networks often isolate guests. Join the stage laptop to your phone's hotspot instead.
The phone and the prompter talk to each other directly, so they need to be on the same network. Many venue and hotel networks isolate guests from one another, which blocks that. The fix is simple: turn on your phone's hotspot and join the stage laptop to it. Once both have opened ScrollCue, the remote keeps working on the hotspot even with no internet.
When the QR code will not scan #
Pair by sound or by link.
If the laptop camera faces the wrong way or the room is dark, ScrollCue can pair by sound: the phone plays a short chirp that the laptop's microphone hears. You can also copy the invite link across by hand. If pairing stalls, the remote shows what to check.
Do presentation clickers work with a teleprompter? #
Yes. Most send Page Down, Page Up or arrow keys, which ScrollCue reads.
A presentation clicker or foot pedal pairs with the laptop like a keyboard. ScrollCue reads Page Down, Page Up and the arrow keys, so most clickers work out of the box, and you can map buttons in Clicker & pedal. Because the clicker talks to the laptop over Bluetooth, venue Wi-Fi does not matter. See the hardware guide for rigs and remotes.
Screen stays awake #
No dimming halfway through.
While the script is playing, ScrollCue keeps the screen on. On browsers without the screen wake lock it falls back to a silent looping video, which has the same effect. Still turn off the laptop's own sleep timer before the session, and plug it in.
Offline backup #
Open it once and it keeps working.
After the first visit, the prompter works with no connection. Load the talk at the hotel, check it opens with Wi-Fi off, and keep the phone's own copy ready as a presenter view in case a cable fails.
2 topics
How long is your talk?
Conference slots are fixed. Write to the slot, then rehearse with the timer.
01How many words is a 20-minute talk?02Write for the earRead the full guideShow less
How many words is a 20-minute talk? #
About 2,600 words at 130 words per minute.
Most speakers on stage talk at about 130 to 150 words per minute. An 18-minute talk at 140 words per minute is about 2,500 words; a 20-minute slot at 130 is about 2,600; a 45-minute keynote at 130 is about 5,850. Leave a minute or two for applause, slides and pauses. The teleprompter numbers page has a full reading-time table.
Write for the ear #
Short lines and clear sections.
- Start each part with
##so you or the operator can jump to it. - Keep lines short: one idea per line reads well from a distance.
- Put stage reminders in
[[double brackets]], like[[next slide]]or[[pause]]. Only you see them. - Write numbers as you will say them. More tips in reading tips.
Day-of checklist
At the venue
Connect the laptop to the confidence monitor, set text size from your spot on stage, and turn off the laptop's sleep timer.
Pair and test
Pair the phone, or join the laptop to your hotspot first. Play, pause and jump one section from each device.
Before you walk on
Scroll to the top, set the cue line, and keep the phone on presenter view as your backup.
8 questions
Questions, answered
Short answers to what people ask before they press play.
01Can I use my phone as a teleprompter remote?02Can I see the script on my phone while it shows on the stage screen?03Does the phone remote need internet?04What if the venue Wi-Fi blocks it?05Can I use a presentation clicker with a teleprompter?06Can I see my slides on my phone?Read all answers · 2 more answersShow less
Can I use my phone as a teleprompter remote? #
Yes. Open Phone remote on the prompter and scan the QR code with your phone. The phone becomes a remote with play, pause, speed and section jumps. No app to install. It is part of Pro: $4.99 for 24 hours or $99 a year.
Can I see the script on my phone while it shows on the stage screen? #
Yes. The phone's Script tab is a presenter view that stays in sync with the prompter. Scroll either device and the other follows to the same words.
Does the phone remote need internet? #
No. The phone and the prompter talk directly over the same Wi-Fi or a phone hotspot. Once both have opened ScrollCue, the remote works with no internet connection.
What if the venue Wi-Fi blocks it? #
Turn on your phone's hotspot and join the stage laptop to it. Venue networks often stop guests' devices seeing each other; your own hotspot does not.
Can I use a presentation clicker with a teleprompter? #
Yes. Bluetooth clickers and foot pedals pair with the laptop like a keyboard. ScrollCue reads Page Down, Page Up and the arrow keys, and you can remap buttons.
Can I see my slides on my phone? #
Yes, with Pro. The computer can share a window or its screen to the phone, which shows it behind the script.
What is the difference between a confidence monitor and a teleprompter? #
A confidence monitor is a screen on or in front of the stage that only the speaker reads. A teleprompter usually means a glass rig in front of a camera lens. ScrollCue drives both.
Is ScrollCue free for speakers? #
The prompter is free with no time limit, no account and no watermark, and voice follow is free for 5 minutes per script. The phone remote, presenter view, clicker support and video to the phone are Pro.